Biomedical Waste

Biomedical waste, (BMW), consists of solids, liquids, sharps, and laboratory waste that are potentially infectious or dangerous and are considered biowaste. It must be properly managed to protect thegeneral public, specifically healthcare and sanitation workers who are regularly exposed to biomedical waste as an occupational hazard.

Biomedical waste differs from other types of hazardouswaste, such as industrial waste, in that it comes from biological sources or is used in the diagnosis, prevention, or treatment of diseases. Common producers of biomedical waste include hospitals, healthclinics, nursing homes, medical research laboratories, offices of physicians, dentists, and veterinarians, home health care, and funeral homes
Sorting of medical wastes in hospital.At the site whereit is generated, biomedical waste is placed in specially labelled bags and containers for removal by biomedical waste transporters. Other forms of waste should not be mixed with biomedical waste asdifferent rules apply to the treatment of different types of waste.

Household biomedical waste usually consists of needles and syringes from drugs administered at home (such as insulin), soiledwound dressings, disposable gloves, and bedsheets or other cloths that have come into contact with bodily fluids.[1] Disposing of these materials with regular household garbage puts waste collectors atrisk for injury and infection especially from sharps as they can easily puncture a standard household garbage bag. Many communities have programs in place for the disposal of household biomedical waste.Some waste treatment facilities also have mail-in disposal programs. Biomedical waste treatment facilities are licensed by the local governing body which maintains laws regarding the operation ofthese facilities. The laws ensure that the general public is protected from contamination of air, soil,groundwater, or municipal water supply. A company that helps out by putting all of the laws and...